County Adds Approval For Compost Contractor City Already Ok’D Deal For California Firm To Take Over Operation Of Colbert Facility

Two Spokane County commissioners gave their blessing Tuesday to hiring a California firm to operate the Colbert compost facility.

Commissioners Phil Harris and John Roskelley teamed up to ratify a city contract with Norcal Waste Systems. Commissioner Kate McCaslin voted against the proposal.

The Spokane City Council unanimously approved the contract last week.

Local solid waste officials hope Tuesday’s decision will close a smelly chapter in the region’s efforts to compost yard waste.

The contractor that previously ran the facility, O.M. Scott of Ohio, pulled out last year after residents who lived near the site complained about foul odors emanating from the rotting vegetation.

Several people sued, and the city was forced to buy their houses and pay more than $1million in cash settlements.

City officials, who run the compost facility, launched a search for a new vendor several months ago.

Norcal was the low bidder and promised a nearly “stink-free” method of composting.

The company proposes to cram lawn clippings, small branches and other yard debris into huge plastic bags where they will ferment under controlled conditions.

Norcal will sell the composted material as fertilizer.

A team of city and county officials who flew to California to evaluate the company’s site there came back impressed, a fact that Roskelley noted Tuesday in supporting the contract.

“I think we will do well here,” he said.

City officials were ready to hire the company several weeks ago, but Harris and McCaslin held up the deal, citing several concerns over the contract.

County commissioners have a say in the deal because of an agreement with the city that sets up the regional solid waste system, which operates the waste transfer stations and the West Plains incinerator.

Harris was worried that the county might be exposed to liability if the Norcal system winds up stinking, too.

Jim Emacio, the county’s chief civil attorney, assured Harris that the county would be indemnified if anything went wrong.

“I feel we have all the protection we need,” Harris said Tuesday.

McCaslin had other worries.

The contract calls for Norcal to pay a $100 fine for each verified odor complaint. McCaslin said that’s too lenient.

“That’s no incentive for them to do anything about it,” she said Tuesday.

She also said she doesn’t think solid waste officials pursued enough alternative composting ideas and is worried about how the city will pay the expected $1 million annual operating costs for the contract.

“I still remain concerned on this item,” McCaslin said.

Harris agreed with her concerns.

“But we really need to move forward with something,” he said.